AeroHub

Matamata (Waharoa) aerodrome. Friday January 9th – Friday January 22nd
A report from Mike Feeney of Hamilton, New Zaland.

Like many other Western nations, New Zealand has seen a diminishing trend with respect to the appeal of some youth institutions that became very popular during the 20th. century. But I believe that the ‘Boy Scout’ and ‘Girl Guide’ movement still has relevance today. The old “Be Prepared” credo, and intrinsic values such as comradeship, fair play, honesty, self-integrity, always playing a ’straight bat’ etc., will stand young people in good stead throughout their lives in this troubled world where accumulating wealth, at any ‘cost’ to others, seems to be the primary objective of so many of the Planet’s political, financial and military “Leaders”….understandable, however lamentable, I guess, when our young people observe the greedy behaviour of entire nations and their economic institutions. So be it!

Anyway; I hope that you overseas readers may gain a ’snapshot’ of one of our NZ flight training summer camps. I have appended some notes about the photographs below the main text.
Cheers as always, mikefeeney@actrix.co.nz

No matter how many times I attend this annual summer event at one of my favourite rural aerodromes, I always enjoy the atmosphere of keen young people embarking on a new challenge in their lives; that of learning the basic handling and airmanship skills required to operate a light aircraft in a safe, intelligent and responsible manner…the first important step to becoming a Pilot-in-Command responsible for the lives of others in our shared airspace. Continue Reading »

Cockpits

World AirTraffic 0-24h

The_Maiden_of_Maiden_Flights (manual)

CA_SU-301

London City Bad Landing_BAE146

Airbike

chinookwater

Carry On luggage

lowest_flyby_ever

Update from the Club 1 March 2010

RAANZ  NA T I O N AL FLY-IN

STRATFORD MARCH 19-21 2010

Contacts Nick Furmage (Organiser) 06 762 8662 0275 611 518 bigsky4394@gmail.com

Wayne Richmond 021 259 1683

Ian Tonks 06 756 5879

Web sites RAANZ Web page http://raanz.org.nz/

Stratford Aero Club http://sac.globalredirect.com/

Stratford Aerodrome blog http://blogspotbigsky.blogspot.com/

Below is the latest newsletter from the Around New Zealand Air Safari Committee

Air Safari 2010 – MARCH Newsletter

This year the Club will hold it’s Aviation Open Day on Saturday 27th March, 2010.  This date is also a rest day in Masterton for the Air Safari, so we’re hoping to entice a few to bring their planes over to Wellington for the day.

We’ve booked the following static displays so far in addition to club planes: Catalina PBY, Air NZ 737 & ATR, P40 Kittyhawk and a J31 from Vincent Aviation.  Lifeflight will bring their chopper over (pending no call outs), the Metro will park up for most of the day, Airport Rescue Fire will bring the every popular fire engine across (undoubtedly the biggest attraction for the kids) and of course Helipro will be selling joy rides.

Also being negotiated at the moment is a visit by the Southern Trust DC3 which will provide a rare opportunity to go for a scenic flight in this remarkable aircraft ZK-AMY

Fingers, toes, arms, eyes and legs crossed the council and SVAS will finish their processes this week and we’ll have the tick to open to the public for the long weekend.  Even if we don’t, we’re looking after the airshow pilots/crew and will be serving coffees and food to friends Bea and I will be at the cafe from about 8am tomorrow.

We’re promoting events and the aerdrome in general through our Twitter account (@snaprollcafe if you want to follow us – go to www.twitter.com) so let us know if we can post anything there.  We’re also using our website (www.snaprollcafe.co.nz) to tell stories about the cafe, the people and the aerodrome so happy to cross link to anything and everything – again let us know.  We’ve started discussing with some of you ways we can work closely together – special offers, deals etc for your customers/staff so lets keep talking on that one too.

Flyer attached which shows our intended opening hours – at this stage – and contact details.

Thanks again, here’s to 2010 and see you soon

Marie-Claire, Bea, Lee and Clemente

The Snap Roll – The Cafe at Hood Aerodrome

FlyingNZ Notice board February 2010

Following an illness JOHN LESTER of FoxPine AirPark passed away suddenly on Friday 19^th 2010.

His funeral service was held recently in Wanganui

FOXPINE AIRPARK remains open. Hangerage and fuel facilities are still

available. From the beginning of March Microlight training will continue

and the Pilot Centre will once more be available to pilots.

At long last we are catching up and below are the latest newsletters sent in recently  from the Aero clubs

ParakaiAirfieldNewsletter-Jan10

ParakaiAirfieldNewsFeb10

Hawera AeroClub Feb10

Wellington Aero Club Windsock 1 2010

HB&EC AC February Newsletter

Greetings once again merrie troops. Again I am on the hunt for input for an urgent article that I am attempting to complete by about March 21st.

It is about the Hiller 12 series and its use in NZ. I was around as a lad watching the first civil helicopter in NZ being assembled and flown at James Aviation’s main HQ at Rukuhia aerodrome, Hamilton. And rather jolly exciting it was too!

So may I ask if any of you have any memories of this machine that you could tell me about? Please ramble on in Emails as long as you feel like…it will be as welcome as…as…er…well as anything! Perhaps you may have old newspaper clippings, photographs etc.? You may have worked on or flown Hiller 12s somewhere in NZ or overseas. Any input at all on the type would be most appreciated. I am happy to phone you on your NZ or Australian landline to have a chat. Should you send me any photographs or clippings, I assure you that they will be returned promptly; as long as, naturally, you advise a return postal address.

Thanks chaps and chapettes, if you are able to assist,
(Beg, plead, beseech and grovel!)
Chooks away,
Mike Feeney.

Email:  mikefeeney@actrix.co.nz
Postal: 26A Holmes Street,
Nawton,
Hamilton.  3200

Home phone: 07- 8464210
Cell: 027-2293132

An ‘Aeroplane’ and a ‘Plane’…can you spot the differences?

A plain-speaking Tutorial by Mike Feeney who has used both, so knows the difference!

“Good morning children of Hillcrest Primary. You may call me “Sir” or “Your Wonderfulness”. Your most charming teacher, Miss Semanticus, has asked me here today to explain certain anomalies within your vocabulary. Do not be concerned little ankle-biters, as I am sure your problem can be rectified or, at least, ameliorated in an efficacious manner.
Continue Reading »

Greetings jolly readers. Wondering if you may be able to give me a hand with this one?
One of my “Wings of Time” series is about New Zealand Miles Magisters and Whitney Straights. The information I am seeking is which Aero Clubs and private owners operated these types within NZ. Anything you might know about their registrations, years, owners etc would be of great assistance. Perhaps some of you actually flew or worked on these aircraft?
Thanks troops.
Cheers,

mikefeeney@actrix.co.nz

Home phone: 07- 8464210

click to enlarge

Aerolineas Airbus A-340 Argie Aerobatic Aviator Admires Advanced Aerodynamic Anglo Airfreight Aeroplane At Antipodean Ardmore Aerodrome, Auckland, Aotearoa.

This snapshot has captured the enthusiasm of an Argentine aviator whom can only be known as “El Condor”.
Upon discovering this ex. RNZAF Bristol 170, Mk.31 ‘Freighter’ (aka ‘Frightener’ and ‘Vibrator’), El Condor became delerious with joy and explained that he had dreams of using it on the international air show circuit as the World’s Largest Aerobatic Aeroplane and, as it had nearly 4,000 horsepower, would also fly it in the Red Bull pylon racing programme.
He further amplified that, during the off-peak season, he would enhance its annual utilisation by starting a service between Argentina and New Zealand to cater for the masses who wish to cycle across the Andes then spend time as “El Gaucho la Bicycle”. Continue Reading »

FU-24 BVW

A portrait of him as a young airman.

(And some reflections about the early model FU-24)

I thought some of you chaps would like to see what Our Pal Mal. looked like when he was a young, clean-cut, suave, devil-may-care, dashing heart-throb of a cropdusting airman. The aircraft we flew out of Dargaville, Northland, NZ, was the Fletcher FU-24 (designed by John Thorp who also created the Piper PA-28) which could land on a penny and had an average payload of about 0.75 tonne. As it then had only the 240 bhp Continental 0-470 engine, it required a high degree of determination (and luck) to coax it to climb when fully laden at a weight of approx. 4,000 lbs. We worked off airstrips as short as 200 metres and as steep as 30%….we must have been crazy!!! Continue Reading »